Snow Storm
by Maerchen Freunde
Summary: Shino and Tenten are returning from a mission when they are caught in a blizzard in the mountains. They find shelter and so much more than they expected. Third-Place winner of Shino/Tenten Winter challenge. Rated M for content and adult situations
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: This is an entry to a Shino/Tenten Winter contest at Rel's request. Please note that, although Neji is mentioned, he is not portrayed in a very flattering way. If you want positive Neji moments, check out my other story, 'Heart Broken', wherein Neji is very heroic. **_

_**That said: I do not own Naruto.**_

**Snow Storm: Part One**

It was a relief to be heading home. It always was. There was something about traveling back to the familiar Land of Fire and Konoha Village that made any journey so much more enjoyable. Especially after a month-long mission involving endless meetings and negotiations.

Or at least that's what she thought.

She had no idea what her companion's feelings were on the subject.

He was even more taciturn then her usual teammate, Huuga Neji, if that could be believed. Maybe taciturn wasn't the right word. Shut-down? Closed off?

Or maybe, behind the layered shields of high-collar, shadowed hood and wrap-around sunglasses, Shino was really displaying a wildly varying range of emotions.

Tenten snickered a little at the thought.

Wouldn't it be funny, she thought, as she sped along just behind her silent companion, if his glasses fell off and his hood fell back and he was revealed to be tear-stained and grimacing in grief? Or grinning broadly with his eyes spinning in hilarious circles? Or-

"Storm," murmured Shino.

"Hunh?" she said, squinting towards the vee of sky that could be seen ahead between the mountain pass. What had been a wintry pale blue was now dark with heavy grey snow-laden clouds.

"Uh-oh," she muttered, "Do you think we'll make it through the pass before it hits?"

"Hnh," grunted Shino, adding more Chakra to his feet, "Possibly."

Tenten increased her pace to match his and they raced through the stony pass silently.

There were stories about people getting caught in the mountains in the Land of Snow. Very few of them ended well. Tenten had no intention of adding a tale about her untimely death to that list.

They made it to the opening on other side of the pass just as the first flakes started. Shino consulted an oil-cloth map. He pointed to a small kanji symbol for 'ruin'.

"We should get shelter," he said curtly. He didn't wait for Tenten's nod of agreement, taking off along the perilous pathway through some scrubby pines. Tenten followed closely.

It became a race between them and the snow and the snow was definitely winning.

They almost missed the tumble-down structure. It was Tenten who noticed the chigi, the distinctive cross-beams, at one corner of the abandoned shrine, making a dark X against the blowing snow. She grabbed Shino and pointed it out.

They struggled to get in, using a precious amount of their dwindling Chakra stores to move the foot or more of snow away in order to pull one side of the massive door open enough to slip in.

Once in, they secured the door with the enormous wooden latch that was still surprisingly intact. They leaned wearily against the wood, resting for a moment in the eerie stillness of the shrine.

Tenten pulled a flashlight from her pack and shone it around, moving cautiously around the perimeter of the structure.

The building was small and smelled strongly of mold. It was built in the usual style, with a central raised altar at one end holding a stone carving of a woman, probably Amaterasu Ômikami, the Sun Goddess. She was flanked on either side by worn stone statues of local gods, sai no kami, guarding the mountain borders and protecting travelers. Stone bowls sat in front of each deity, waiting in vain for offerings.

A light flared to one side of her and she turned to see that Shino had activated a larger lithium lamp and was heading around the other wall.

She stepped carefully around some rubble where a wall sagged and some of the roof had buckled inward. Torn branches and other debris filled in the break naturally, although some snow had trickled in to form a slight drift. Camping on this side would be too drafty. She walked further towards the altar, hoping to find a better spot where they could rig a tent and start a fire.

She was shuddering with cold and exhaustion and the light trembled in her hand. From the rather erratic movement of the light on Shino's side, he was no better off. They really needed to get some food and rest or they would be in a sad fix.

She stopped at the center of the altar, waiting for Shino to join her. She looked up at the serene face of the Goddess, the stone smooth and smiling. Whoever had carved her had done so lovingly, giving her a beauty that was really astonishing.

Without thought, Tenten tucked her flashlight under her arm. She brought her hands together and bowed twice to the Goddess. She clapped her hands and bowed again, thanking the Kami for bringing her and Shino into safety. In the cold feeble light of the lithium lamp, the Goddess seemed to smile warmly and her eyes winked.

"Man," mumbled Tenten, giving herself a mental shake, "I'm more tired than I thought."

Shino joined her and made his own obeisance to the Goddess. He looked up at the stone face intently for a moment.

"There's a small room behind the altar," he said, pointing over to the right corner, "It will be a good place to set up a camp."

"Okay," said Tenten, following him.

He led her past the smaller statue and turned into a low doorway.

Tenten glanced at the little statue and was startled to see the grin of a monkey flashing in the dim light. She stumbled and fell into Shino's back, nearly knocking him down. He stopped, bent over, reaching one arm back to hold her.

"Sorry!" she said, hastily righting herself, "Sorry, I tripped. Damn, this place is kind of creepy."

He grunted. He stood up and held out a hand for her.

She frowned for a moment. Did he think she was helpless?

Still, it was dark and the floor was uneven. Probably safer to stick together.

She took his hand. She was surprised at its warmth as his long fingers wrapped around her shorter ones. She suddenly felt better, grateful for the support.

Shino led the way, ducking under the lintel of the door. He stepped carefully down into a small room that had probably been the resident priest's home. There was a small fire pit in the center of the room, with a rusting iron tripod lying across it. To one side of the fire pit was a large stone bench with a channel under it for coals to be placed to keep the bench warm. Two small windows closed with wooden shutters flanked a small door opposite the entrance to the shrine. There was a decaying pile of firewood by this doorway. Enough to get a fire started, although they would have to forage for more soon.

Without speaking, the two set to work setting up a camp.

Tenten pulled the tripod from the fire pit and set it aside. It might be useful for later on, but right now, it was just in the way. She arranged some kindling from her pack around a small explosive tag she'd designed just for this kind of thing. She made a few hand gestures and the tag burst into flame. The kindling caught easily, brightening the room considerably. She added some of the firewood Shino had brought over, building the fire expertly. It was one of her favorite tasks, and no one fought her for it. They were always too grateful for her skills.

She set her pack down on the bench and pulled out a canteen and the cooking kit, filling the teapot and a cooking pot with water and setting them by the fire to heat.

They would have to find some water soon, to replenish what she was using. For now, there was enough to make a decent meal. Well, something to worry about later.

Shino spread their bed rolls on the stone bench, one for the bottom, one for the top. In this kind of weather, they would sleep together to keep warm. Neither thought anything about the arrangement. It was standard procedure for traveling in the cold.

Once the fire was going and the water was beginning to steam, Tenten ceded her place by the fire to Shino. It turned out that he was a much better cook than she was. Somehow he was able to make even the blandest of dehydrated rations into quite tasty fare. Her mouth was already watering at the thought. She watched him for a moment as he pulled small packets from his coat and stirred them into the water.

The smell of beef wafted up and her stomach growled in response.

She took a swig of water just to settle it down.

Time to explore, before she grabbed the pot and poured it down her gullet.

She pulled a concentrated fruit and nut bar from her pack and broke it in two, handing one half to Shino and stuffing the other into her mouth.

"I'm gonna look around," she said, thickly, around the sticky food in her mouth, "See if there's water and more wood."

Shino nodded absently, chewing on his own bar, carefully stirring the pot.

She picked up her flashlight and headed out the other small door.

It was hard to open, the swollen wood dragging on the stone floor. She pulled it hard, digging her feet into the floor and leaning back. She was able to scrape it open part-way, until it stuck. She stepped cautiously out, standing under a wooden portico.

Snow was piled around the entrance, sloping downward. She could just make out some steps leading down from the doorway, hugging a stone wall on the right. To the left was a lean-to butting up to the doorway, filled, she was glad to see, with stacks of firewood. The wood was old and some of it was snow covered, but it would last a long time. They'd be able to melt snow for water, too, so things were looking pretty good if they had to stay for more than a day.

Keeping a hand on the stone wall, Tenten inched her way forward, feeling for the edges of steps with her feet. The snow was deep, and it didn't look like it was stopping soon. Whatever was at the bottom of the steps would have to wait until daylight. She couldn't risk a broken ankle, or worse, slipping on the steps and disappearing into the dark. She turned and carefully shuffled back to the shelter of the portico.

She piled some wood in her arms and headed back into the room, piling the wood near the doorway. She went back for several more armfuls of wood, enough to last the night and some of the day, too. When she thought she had enough, she pushed the door shut and stamped the snow from her feet.

She kicked off her heavy boots, knocking them together to get off the rest of the snow. She padded over to the fire pit, ignoring the cold of the stone through her socks and sat down on the floor by the fire. She pulled off her wet socks and stretched her cold feet out until they dangled dangerously close to the flames, sighing happily.

Shino handed her a steaming mug of tea.

"Thanks," she said, gratefully, sipping the tea. He had laced it with honey, knowing that she would need the calories, and, even though she didn't like sweet tea, it tasted heavenly.

"Kami, that's good," she said, pulling her arms out of the sleeves of her parka and arranging the coat over her shoulders. She looked hopefully at the pot. "That smells delicious. Is it ready yet?"

"Almost," said Shino, moving the pot away from the fire and sprinkling something on top. He portioned out some of the mixture between two camp bowls and handed one to Tenten.

She pulled chopsticks from her pack and handed him a set. After all, he'd made dinner. The least she could do was set the table.

"Itadakimasu!" they said, and dug in.

After several moments of rapturous chewing, Tenten sighed deeply.

"I don't know how you do it, Shino," she said, "but this is definitely the best stew I've ever eaten."

Shino paused, holding his chopsticks in the air, studying her.

At least, she thought he was studying her. Difficult to know for sure, what with the dark glasses and all.

She grinned and saluted him with her chopsticks.

"I'll be your teammate anytime, as long as you do all the cooking!" she said. "You should taste what we have to put up with on our team. Neji has a delicate stomach and can't eat spicy foods. Lee and Gai love spicy foods and collect all different kinds of hot sauces. And I pretty much ruin everything I cook, so I'm banned from food prep. We pretty much survive on instant ramen. Your team is lucky to have you."

"Hmm," said Shino, continuing to eat.

"Yep, it's a sad suppertime around the fire with Team Gai," said Tenten, licking the bowl in between words. "I don't suppose there's anymore?" she looked hopefully at the pot.

Shino held it wordlessly out to her and she grabbed it.

Actually, she snatched it, almost burning her hand. But, dang, she was hungry!

She divided the rest up, giving herself half and topping up Shino's bowl. She shoveled her stew into her mouth, making humming sounds of pleasure. She licked the bowl again, finishing with a loud smack.

"Oh, Kami," she said, "So good!"

She jumped up and pulled on her boots hastily. She took the pot out the back door to fill it with snow. She swished the snow around and threw it out into the dark. She filled it up again packing the snow in tightly, hurrying back to the warmth of the fire. She set the pot of snow next to the fire.

"Any more tea?" she said, her voice bright with hope. Shino silently handed her the teapot and she poured herself a cup.

Shino watched her openly. It was one of the advantages of wearing the dark glasses. He never hesitated to study his companions, finding them almost as interesting as his etymological observations.

He enjoyed watching Tenten, although he was not sure why. She was not as beautiful as Ino, or unusual looking as Sakura, or as curvaceous as Hinata, the other kunoichis in his genin group. She had a fresh confidence that he found very appealing. She moved with a light grace, her slim tom-boyish body supple and elegant. He admired her fierce concentration in battle, her determination to be seen as an equal member of any team she was on, her outstanding knowledge of weapons.

The one draw-back, as far as he could see, was her inability to keep quiet. No matter where they were, she seemed compelled to narrate what was going on, or tell a story, or make a joke. He couldn't understand it.

He was used to chattiness in a team-mate. Kiba suffered from a deep rooted desire to ask questions. Shino had learned to answer as definitively as possible, using simple language, which seemed to satisfy the curious Inuzuka. Hinata, on the other hand, was quiet, painfully so, and there were times when he wished she would speak up and let people know what was on her mind.

No, what he couldn't understand was how Tenten managed her verbosity on the same team as Mighto Gai and Rock Lee. Those two were constantly trumpeting comments in flowery language at the top of their more than average lungs. How did the girl manage to get a word in edgewise?

Shino could only suppose that Tenten kept up her running commentary to Neji, the cold and generally silent Hyuuga clan prodigy. Shino wondered idly, as he watched Tenten gulp down the tea and swish more into her cup, whether Neji listened or tuned her out, as he undoubtedly did with his other teammates.

During their assignment in Snow Country, evaluating the quality of a new weapons smith, Shino had let Tenten take the lead in negotiations with the wily Daimyo's of the area. Her ability to speak easily on a number of subjects, and her air of genuine friendly interest, made her a natural when it came to dealing with the older men. They seemed to be quite taken with her open, flirty style. Her ingenuous demeanor mixed with her shrewd expertise regarding anything with a blade made a devastating combination that resulted in a very lucrative deal that would definitely please the Fire Country councils.

Which made him wonder why he had gotten so annoyed when the Daimyo's younger son had paid her so much attention. Surely, that was why Konoha's Hokage had assigned the mission to them. Still, every time that slimy spoiled brat had whispered in her ear making her laugh, or slipped his arm around her waist making her giggle, or escorted her to the suite Shino shared with her, he had wanted to deck the little punk.

Not at all his usual state of mind.

Right now, she was going on about the success of the trip and how she couldn't wait to show off the tanto blade she had been gifted. She was stretching her pretty feet out to the fire, wriggling her toes in pleasure. He was struck by the delicacy of her high arches and the elegance of her ankles.

"I suppose you will be missing all the attention you received," said Shino, darkly. He shut his mouth with a snap. Where had _that _come from?

"What?" said Tenten, her enormous chocolate brown eyes widening in surprise, "missing what?"

"Uh," said Shino, mentally smacking himself, "uh-." Oh, this was brilliant.

"What did you mean?" she said, cocking her head to one side and lifting one slim eyebrow.

What _did _he mean? He wasn't sure.

Fortunately, he didn't have to give her an answer.

The loud clang sounding from the shrine reverberated through the empty space like a gong.

Tenten and Shino jumped to their feet, facing the doorway to their room, hands on weapons and knees flexed.

They stood, battle ready, for a few minutes, listening carefully.

Nothing.

Shino led the way to the door, standing with his hand on the latch. Tenten stood poised on the other side, her back to the jamb, kunai and shuriken in both hands. She nodded at Shino and he pulled the door open, standing behind it.

Nothing.

The dark cavern of the shrine yawned before them, barely illuminated by their cozy fire.

They stepped cautiously out, standing shoulder to shoulder at an angle, scanning the room.

Nothing.

Shino sent kikai out to search the area. He moved carefully to the left as Tenten headed right.

The only sound was that of snow pinging against the building and the barely audible tread of their feet.

Shino stepped around the piled area of debris from the collapse of the roof, noting the deep fall of snow spilling out onto the stone floor. A large branch, its end freshly twisted, hung through the hole in the ceiling. He stopped and contemplated the branch. The kikai circled his head, letting him know that he and Tenten were the only people in the building. He relaxed a little.

Tenten joined him and studied the branch with him.

"Do you think this is what made that noise?" she asked, shivering a little in the cold.

"Possibly," he said, frowning as he saw her pick up a bare foot and rub it against her pant leg.

Without a thought, he picked her up in his arms.

"Hey!" she said, batting at him, "what the hell are you doing?"

"You don't have shoes on. It will be inconvenient if you get sick," he carried her quickly back to the doorway of their little room.

"Oh," she said, dubiously.

It sounded lame to him, too.

"Hey," she said suddenly, "was that snow there before?"

Shino looked where she was pointing. A small drift of snow lay at the base of the monkey statue, looking a little rumpled, almost as if the statue had been covered in it and had shaken the snow off.

The stone figure seemed to hunch a little in the flickering light from their fire.

They shared a look.

They stared at the statue.

They both shook their heads.

Shino carried her quickly into the room and put her on the stone bench. He hurried back to the door and looked out at the statue. He could just make out a thin thread of snow falling onto the statue's head.

Which explained the drift at its stone base.

He shut the door firmly and bolted it.

Tenten fought sleep, enjoying the comfort of the moment.

The stone bench was surprisingly cozy. The coals she had pulled into the channel under the stone really warmed the surface nicely. The down in the sleeping bags captured and wrapped her in the heat. She stretched luxuriously. Her back arched snugly against her teammate.

She snuggled her hips against his rump, smiling a little when she felt him pull away.

He was a funny guy, Shino.

She'd always found him intriguing, mysterious, even. He was obviously intelligent and thoughtful. His teammate, Hyuuga Hinata, had told her that he was always taking the lead during their missions. He'd certainly been a good partner on this one, guarding her back and offering succinct opinions when asked. He was hard to read, though, although she had begun to recognize his moods little.

He'd seemed concerned about her being cold.

What was that all about? Shino picking her up like that?

She wasn't used to someone taking care of her.

Gai and Lee would have seen it as an opportunity for training. Something like, how many times could she run around the shrine before her feet froze, or maybe how many times _after _her feet froze. Neji wouldn't have noticed. Or, if he did, he would have lectured her sternly on the importance of keeping her socks on, or something like that. He certainly would not have picked her up and carried her to warmth.

It probably should have made her mad. After all, she was pretty tough and didn't need protecting. Maybe that kind of thing worked with Hinata, but she took care of herself. Always had, always would.

Still, it had been kind of nice, romantic, even, to be swept up in Shino's surprisingly strong arms. She hadn't realized how big Shino was before, either. He was taller than Neji, by quite a bit, actually. Taller, even, then Gai-sensei. Not that things like height mattered to her, not at all. Still, she did like tall men.

And it was kind of flattering, knowing that he was looking out for her. Well, she'd been aware of how much he watched over her during their mission. Whenever that Daimyo's creepy son had tried to put the moves on her, Shino had been there, making his presence known. It had been quite a relief, really, allowing her to concentrate on technical matters with the weapons smith, not on how to avoid a case of wandering hands.

What did he mean, anyway? That bit about missing all the attention? He almost sounded annoyed with her. He certainly didn't think that she'd enjoyed the lame sexual banter the pampered son favored, did he? She'd have to ask him in the morning.

She shifted her hips again, snuggling up to her quiet companion.

"Stop," growled Shino.

"Hunh?" she said, shocked by the rush of cold air as Shino sat up suddenly, pulling the top sleeping bag off of her.

"You are pushing me off the bench," said Shino, his voice clipped and cold.

Tenten sat up, too, and looked over at Shino's side of the bench.

There was about an inch of space between him and the edge. She was securely seated in the center of the bench. She sniggered a little.

"Oh, sorry, Shino!" she snorted, "I was just getting comfortable-."

"Move over," he said, shortly.

"Sure, no problem," said Tenten, shifting over to her half of the bench. She lay down again, facing outward. "I'll try not to – Hey!"

She was shocked when his arm came around her and he pulled her firmly against his chest. She pushed ineffectually at his arm, letting out a huff of surprise when his knees drew up behind hers, aligning them neatly into a snug spoon.

"Shh," he said, his voice deep and resonant and awfully close to her ear.

She barely suppressed a shiver as his warm breath ghosted across the nape of her neck.

"I intend to get a good night's sleep," he said, sternly. "I suggest you do, too."

A soft humming sound started up in his chest, buzzing against her back. It was almost like purring, a comforting rolling sonorous vibration that wrapped her in a soothing cocoon.

The kikai, she realized, dreamily, relaxing into her companion's strong embrace.

Oh, she was going to have words with Shino. This kind of high-handed treatment didn't sit well with an independent kunoichi like her. Yes, she would certainly give him a piece of her mind.

Just as soon as she woke up.

Sometime during the night, Tenten had turned and lay half facing him, one arm flung out and one leg firmly wedged between his knees. The other arm was curled against his chest, her hand clutching his shirt front in a death grip.

He watched her through slitted eyes, not wanting to disturb her.

She had beautiful skin, a creamy white like the petal of a camellia. Her long dark lashes lay against her cheeks in a thick fan. Her lips were pursed in sleep, pale pink and full. Her long chestnut hair had unraveled from the rough braid she had bundled it into last night, and it draped between them , silky and smelling like lavender and lemon verbena.

He inhaled the scent of it, opening his mouth a little to bring the scent in more deeply. He could taste the flowery smell of her skin, roses and something spicy, like carnations, and under that a deeper smell that was uniquely hers, a mixture of fresh leaves and a tiny hint of iron.

She smelled delicious, edible.

He eased her body a little closer, bringing his nose down to the top of her head, his hand splayed across her slim back.

This was dangerous. And completely unlike him.

He never took advantage of a situation with a woman. And, yes, he had been in several that could have ended in a much less gentlemanly fashion than they did.

Mission sex was something that happened frequently. Many of his acquaintances thought of it as a perk of the job. Kiba often regaled him with tales of wild couplings before, during and after a mission.

He had been tempted several times.

He just couldn't go through with it.

His deep reserve made it difficult to act spontaneously, which was one reason why he'd held back.

The other was that the idea of casual sex was repugnant to him.

He longed for love, although he was resigned to the understanding that he would never experience it. He had realized a long time ago that it would be difficult to find someone who would be able to accept him and the kikai.

So, here he was, a beautiful woman in his arms, vulnerable and available, and all he could do was sniff her hair.

It was enough to make a man with less lofty ideals bitter.

_**A/N: End of part one. Handsome young man, beautiful young woman, forced to spend alone time together. What could be better? And, yes, it's a cliché, but isn't so much of life?**_

_**Please review: I try to answer everyone, and enjoy your insights.**_

_**Thanks!**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: This is an entry to a Shino/Tenten Winter contest at Rel's request. Please note that, although Neji is mentioned, he is not portrayed in a very flattering way. If you want positive Neji moments, check out my other story, 'Heart Broken', wherein Neji is very heroic. **_

_**Also, be aware that this section contains adult behavior, hence the rating. Shino and Tenten are 18 and 19 years of age, respectively, in this story. **_

_**That said: I do not own Naruto.**_

**Snow Storm: Part Two**

Tenten woke to the tantalizing smell of strong tea, miso soup and her favorite rice porridge, okayu. She sat up on the bench, yawning widely and stretching until her joints popped.

"Yum," she said, happily, "that smells great."

She looked around the dark little room, frowning at Shino's absence.

A fan of snow arched on the floor by the doorway, so he must have gone out.

The fire was blazing merrily, and there was a fresh pile of snow covered wood next to it, steaming in the heat along with a pot of water.

Perfect.

Tenten hopped out of the warm sleeping bags and hurried over to her backpack. She grabbed it and scuttled back to the bench, pulling the back pack after her.

No point in wasting all that nice downy warmth getting dressed.

She pulled out fresh underwear and a change of clothes, draping them on the edge of the bench nearest the fire to warm.

Wriggling between the sleeping bags, she pulled off her sleep pants and shirt and tossed them out onto the floor. She grabbed a washrag from her bag, crawled out of the sleeping bag enough to dip the rag in the water, wringing it out on the floor. She pulled the warm damp rag under the covers with her and quickly used it to clean herself.

Feeling refreshed, she tossed the rag out with her night clothes and pulled in a sports bra and panties.

Putting them on required more wriggling along with some cursing and way too much cold fresh air hitting exposed damp body parts. The door opened when she was struggling with her sports bra letting in a stream of snow, which didn't help anything either.

"Hey!" she shouted, pulling the covers up to her chin.

She peeked over her shoulder to see Shino's tall form outlined in snowy light of the open doorway.

"Shut the door!" she said, exasperated.

He started, pushing the door closed quickly and shaking snow out of his hair. He stomped his boots, stepping out of them and leaving them by the door. He made his way over to the other side of the fire, carrying more snowy wood. He set the wood down carefully, keeping his back turned to the bench.

"Sorry," he said, shortly.

"Not a problem," said Tenten, cheerily, reaching out an arm and snagging her turtleneck top from the edge of the bench. "Just don't like the cold, you know?"

She pulled on the shirt, popping her head through the collar with a loud yank. She reached for socks and pulled them on before lying down on the bench and wriggling into her pants. Once dressed, she pushed back the sleeping bags and hopped out.

"Ta-da!" she said, bowing theatrically in Shino's direction.

She couldn't tell if he was watching. He was sitting on a log by the fire, in best inscrutable mode, his face masked by the huge collar of his coat.

She shrugged, folding the sleeping bags.

"What's it like outside?" she asked, picking up her nightclothes. She rolled them up neatly and tucked them into her back pack. She hung the washrag on the edge of the bench by the fire to dry. Sitting down on the sleeping bags cross-legged, she combed her hair, and watched Shino put breakfast together.

"Cold," said Shino, pouring tea into two cups and sprinkling in some dried honey grains. He handed one to her, keeping his head down.

What was his problem?

If she didn't know better, she'd think he was avoiding her.

"Ha-ha," said Tenten, sipping the tea, "I mean, is it still snowing? Is it safe to leave?"

She braided her hair quickly into one long braid, tying a string from her pack around the end. She tossed the end over her shoulder and slid the comb into her backpack.

"Still snowing," said Shino, dividing miso soup and okayu into bowls. He sprinkled dehydrated green onion and pickled plum on the okayu and handed her a bowl of soup and one of porridge.

She pulled chopsticks from the pile of cleaned dishes from the night before.

"Thanks," she said, "Itadakimasu!"

He echoed the sentiment and they both dug into breakfast.

They ate companionably for a few minutes.

"So," said Tenten, "is it safe to head out today?"

Shino paused, looking up at her briefly. He shook his head no, turning back to the fire.

Tenten sighed. She ate a few bites more.

She watched his hands, large with long elegant fingers. It was not the first time she'd watched his hands. As the only part of him that she saw on a regular basis, besides his hair, she had taken to studying them during the mission. He had beautiful hands.

"What do you want to do?" she asked, cocking her head to one side, watching the silent man. She noted how his hands paused momentarily, fingers pressing into the curve of his bowl.

Shino continued eating, shrugging his shoulders briefly.

"Do you want to go exploring?" she said, scraping out the last grains of rice from her own bowl.

"No," said Shino. He helped himself to some more porridge, offering the pot to her.

She shook her head, frowning.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Too cold," he said, shortly.

Her eyebrows shot up.

"I thought your bugs regulated body temperature. How can you get too cold if your bugs do that, hmm?" she said, putting an elbow on her knee and resting her chin on her palm.

"Too snowy," he said, standing up suddenly and piling up the dirty dishes.

She snorted.

"Oh, come on," she scoffed, "It'll be fun. We can have a snowball fight."

He grunted.

"Or build a snow fort."

"Hnh."

"Or make a snow man."

"No."

"Or make snow angels."

Did he shudder? It was hard to tell. He was turned away. Even if he was looking right at her, it would have been hard to tell behind the ubiquitous dark glasses.

She crossed her arms and stared at him speculatively.

She shrugged.

"Okay, then," she said, jumping up from the bench and grabbing her coat from the floor, "I'll explore by myself." She wrapped a scarf around her neck and jammed a watch cap over her head. She stuffed her feet into her boots and pulled the door open.

A wave of snowy wind blew in, almost knocking her down.

"Whew," she laughed, pulling on gloves, "You were right! Cold and still snowing." She waved to him cheerfully and stepped out of the room pulling the door closed behind her.

* * *

Shino had the feeling that she suspected something.

He probably should have tried to speak directly to her instead of avoiding her.

It was just that whenever he looked at her, he remembered the smell of her hair or the feel of her supple back against his hand, or the lovely fringe of eyelashes on her cheek.

It didn't help that he had caught quite an eyeful when he'd come in with the firewood.

The bright reflected light had spotlighted the graceful curve of her white back, naked to the waist. Her arms had been over her head as she pulled on the sports bra, lifting the shadowed swell of one breast, highlighting the sweet angles of ribcage and hip.

He'd been stunned with her beauty.

And completely overcome with a wave of desire that left him shaken and the kikai agitated.

It had taken all his willpower to close the door and come into the room without jumping on her.

He had watched her finish dressing out of the corner of his eye, mesmerized by her movements, especially by the deft turn of her wrist as she combed her hair and braided it.

He wanted to comb her hair.

A pain hit him in the heart and the kikai hummed loudly.

He did. He wanted to pull a comb through those glistening locks and run his fingers through the silken threads. He wanted to wrap his hands in it and pull her face towards him and kiss her breathless. He wanted-.

Many things he could never have.

And Tenten was one of them.

She was from a different world. A cheerful, chatty world where people talked to one another and joked around.

He, on the other hand, was heir to the large and secretive Aburame clan, host to a hive of chakra eating kikai bugs, a charter member of an insular society of subtle, contemplative people.

And now, true to form, he was sitting alone in the sudden quiet of the little room, wishing morosely that he had the guts to get up and play in the snow with this amazing creature of light and beauty.

"You fool," he growled, harshly, jabbing the dirty chopsticks into the pot of hot water and hissing with pain when some water splashed onto his thumb. "Just go. She shouldn't be out there alone, anyway."

If he went out, it would be to check on her well being, as a good team mate should. Not with any expectation of fun, but to be a responsible ninja and make sure things were safe.

He stood up quickly and hurried to put on his coat.

After all, he reasoned, as he pulled on his gloves, the Hokage would not be happy if something happened to Tenten. Her expertise was vital to the success of the mission.

He jammed on his boots.

It was his duty to make sure she was alright.

He hurried out the door just in time to see Tenten disappear with a scream down the slope behind the shrine.

He raced to follow her, his heart in his throat.

* * *

Tenten hurtled down the icy stairs scrabbling at the stone wall for some purchase to stop her descent.

She could hear Shino's shout as he flew down the snow after her.

She landed with a thump against the bole of a pine tree, smacking her knee hard on something under the snow. The impact of her body shook the tree enough to drop a pile of snow from the branches on her head, covering her completely.

She panicked for a moment, stories of people being buried in snowdrifts running through her brain.

She dug upwards, using Chakra to help push snow out of the way.

Shino swept snow away from her and hauled her into a fierce hug.

She coughed, gasping for air, and he pushed her away, hands digging into her shoulders, shaking her vigorously.

"Sorry, sorry," she said, swatting at him feebly, "I'm okay."

"You-! You-!" he said, his voice low and furious.

He didn't finish. Apparently, any names he was going to call her were so bad he couldn't say them.

"Yeah, me," she choked, laughing, "stupid, clumsy, crazy ole me."

He pulled his hands from her and stared down at her.

"You put yourself in danger," he said, his voice hard. "You could have been killed."

"Oh, come on, be serious," she scoffed, "I'm okay. Besides, I wanted to see what was down these stairs."

She pushed past him, a little shaken by his reaction. He really seemed worried. About her. As if he liked her or something. Which would be funny, right? Because, as she had learned long ago, she was not the kind of girl a serious guy went for.

Neji had taught her that, when she had confessed her crush on him. He had told her quite coldly that, as a representative of the Hyuuga clan, branch family or not, he could not be seen with someone of her indifferent breeding and low social standing.

She had laughed it off. Made a joke at her own expense. Told Neji that she'd only made the confession to make good on a dare.

He'd believed her, or pretended to. They continued training that day and every day, as comrades and teammates.

The crush turned into a cold little stone that would occasionally trip her up, especially when she was attracted to someone. His words, 'indifferent breeding' and 'low social standing' would rise up and remind her that she was undesirable, sub-standard, stifling any impulse to pursue a relationship.

Still, in some ways, she'd been grateful to Neji.

She'd developed a breezy, friendly style that served her well in social settings. She polished an image as a guy's best friend, the kind of girl that was not seen as a threat by other girls or as a girlfriend by guys. She'd relied on her training and skill with weapons to make her reputation and stayed away from anything romantic.

No, whatever had made Shino hug her like that was just fear for her safety.

Which was too bad, because, really, the hug had felt wonderful. Just as it felt wonderful last night to be swept up in his arms, or pulled against him in the makeshift bed.

She had felt safe.

She moved away from him hurriedly, heading further down the path, slipping a little in her haste, ignoring the throbbing in her knee.

"Look," she said, breathlessly, pointing to the peak of a roof that could just be seen at the corner of the wall. "Isn't that steam?"

She didn't wait to see if he followed her.

* * *

Shino was furious. Hand crushing, heart pounding furious.

She was the most stubborn person he'd ever met.

More stubborn than Kiba on a trail.

More stubborn than – no, there wasn't anyone more stubborn.

She was putting herself at risk.

Purposefully.

Willfully.

He wanted to grab her and haul her back to the room to keep her safe.

He wanted to turn her over his knee and paddle her until she agreed to follow orders.

He wanted to throw her down in the snow and make love to her until she turned herself over to him completely.

Maybe it wasn't fury he was feeling.

Maybe it was out and out lust.

Whatever it was, the emotion was strong enough for him to take off after her.

He stopped just before he ran into her and looked where she pointed.

Not that he was remotely interested in whatever it was she was willing to risk life and limb for…

And, yes.

It did look like steam.

* * *

The two shuffled carefully down the last steps to the building Tenten had noticed.

A small shelter huddled in a curve of pine and stone, protecting a rotting wooden bench and another stone monkey statue. A pathway led from the bench to a small pool of water scooped out of stone. The water steamed invitingly, a faint whiff of sulfur wafting off its rippling surface.

"A hot spring," breathed Tenten, reverently, "Oh, my gosh, I can't believe it! I've seen pictures but I never thought I'd get to be at a real hot springs in the snow!"

She turned and thumped Shino ecstatically on his chest.

"Isn't this great?" she said, enthusiastically, pulling off her gloves and pushing them into her coat pockets. "I'm going in!" She yanked off her hat and scarf, shuffling out of her coat. She stuffed her hat and scarf into the sleeve and tossed the coat onto the bench. "Turn around!" she ordered.

"Tenten, no!" said Shino, harshly, "you don't know anything about this spring. It might not be safe-."

"Oh, turn around, you spoilsport," said Tenten, "There's a handrail leading down the rocks. People have probably been coming here for years. Now, turn around or take a good look!" She stepped out of her boots, hopping on the cold stone. She stared challengingly at Shino with her hands on the waistband of her pants.

He'd better turn around. Otherwise, she'd have to make good on her threat, and let him watch her undress.

Which actually was kind of an intriguing thought.

He turned around hastily.

She quickly pulled off her shirt, pants and socks, hesitating for a moment over whether or not to remove her bra and panties.

What the hell. In for a penny, in for a pound.

She pulled them off and tossed them onto the pile of clothing on the bench. She tiptoed over to the wooden handrail she'd noticed, stepping gingerly into the steaming water.

At first the heat was too much and she thought she'd made a terrible mistake.

She swished her feet around, quickly becoming acclimated to the water and stepped further down into the pool. The handrail led down some stone steps carved into the edge. When she reached the bottom, the water lapped just under her breasts, and she shivered at the sensual feel of it. She settled into a cleverly carved basin shaped like a recliner, leaning back against the warm stone, the water coming up to her neck. She closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh of pleasure.

Oh, Kami, did this feel fabulous.

She wondered if Shino would follow her.

She knew she was behaving outrageously.

Very unlike her usual behavior.

She regretted, for a very brief moment, that she might have embarrassed the guy.

Still, it would be nice if he joined her.

More than nice.

Her heart squeezed in pain.

She longed for him to join her.

* * *

Shino watched each article of clothing hit the bench, his jaw clenching.

Oh, Kami, was that her sports bra? The same sports bra he'd seen her struggle into?

And were those her panties? That tiny scrap of cloth with a charming design of blue and purple flowers?

This meant that she was standing behind him totally naked.

He choked.

For years, he and his male friends had speculated about what each girl they knew looked like under her clothes. Actually, his friends did most of the verbal speculation. He added a lot of detail mentally, which he had not shared, but enjoyed none-the-less.

Everyone agreed that Hinata probably had the biggest breasts and roundest bottom. Ino came in a close second in breast size, although Kiba thought she was a little too skinny. Sakura had smaller breasts, but a nice curvy butt. Tenten was believed to have a nice figure, if a little too narrow in the hips.

The endless conversations he had been privy to all replayed through his mind. Because, now, he would be able to set his own speculation to rest, at least as far as Tenten was concerned. He would be able to find out exactly how she looked under her clothes.

All he had to do was to strip down and join her.

He choked again.

This was a quandary of the worst sort.

Something for which he was totally unprepared.

He was intensely private about his body. Not that he had anything to be ashamed of. Not at all.

Privacy was a trait shared by all the Abarumes, especially those who hosted a hive.

And, truth be told, he enjoyed the mysterious image he had built.

He was famous for his high collars and layers of clothing and dark glasses. It gave him a dark satisfaction that people couldn't tell what he was thinking or feeling, whether he was fat or thin, handsome or hideous.

For a person as reserved as he was, his clothing created a comforting barrier between him and all the people who were squeamish or fearful about bugs, who insulted him and his clan every day.

He had not taken off all his clothing for anyone in years. Not even for his physical examinations, preferring instead to maintain his modesty with several drapes and his dark glasses.

This was, Kiba had told him on more than one occasion, another reason why he never got laid.

So, it came down to this.

He liked this girl. More than liked.

Felt a powerful attraction to her. An attraction that had started years ago during their academy days and had become almost overwhelming during this mission.

And he realized that this might be his one chance to act on that attraction.

And she seemed attracted to him.

Otherwise, why would she have delivered such a blatant invitation to join her?

The kikai hummed avidly, sensing her pheromones and relaying them to him in no uncertain terms.

She was vulnerable and available and she wanted him.

He slowly reached for the zipper on his coat and pulled it down.

* * *

"Don't open your eyes," he said, his voice deep and gravelly.

Tenten's eyes almost popped open in surprise, but she squeezed them obediently shut.

He was really coming in.

She couldn't believe it.

Her heart sped up.

He had accepted her tacit invitation.

Oh, Kami, this could be-.

Wonderful.

Or terrible.

All the girls wondered what Shino looked like without the heavy coat, hood, high collars and dark glasses. Ino, especially, had hounded his teammate Hinata relentlessly, but even Hinata said she didn't know. Kiba, when questioned, would laugh and waggle his eyebrows, suggesting that if the girls wanted to see a guy without clothes, he'd be happy to oblige.

They were either very protective of their partner's privacy or had no idea either.

Over the years, his quirks had become accepted, part of an Aburume thing. Maybe part of a shinobi thing. He certainly wasn't the only one who hid behind something.

She heard the shush of water as he waded toward her and his grunt as he settled into the stone recliner basin next to her.

She let him have a moment to settle in.

"Can I open my eyes now?" she said, opening her eyes anyway and turning her head towards him.

He lay back against the sloping rim.

Tenten stared at him with her mouth open. He had on his damn glasses and was sunk in the water until it covered his lips and grazed his nose. All she could see of him was what she always saw. The shock of unruly black hair, pulled back from his face by his headband, the hitae-ate they'd all received when they made genin, and the wrap-around dark glasses.

"Hey," she said, sharply, sitting up in the pool, "Not fair! I took off everything. You need to take off everything, too."

He sunk lower in the water.

"Everything, bug boy! Or I'm going to-," she couldn't think of anything bad enough, so she stopped there, glaring at him.

He sat up in the water and turned his face towards her.

The water lapped at his chest.

A nicely defined chest, she noted. Very broad shoulders.

She was a sucker for broad shoulders.

And his face was, simply put, gorgeous. Sharp cheekbones, strong jaw, beautiful curvy mouth, strong narrow nose. He had dimples, she saw with surprise, framing that lovely mouth, and one faint one pressed into his chin.

"Is it important to you?" he said, softly.

Tenten gulped. This was not a simple question, she realized. Not a question someone tossed off, not expecting an answer, like 'how's it going?' or 'everything okay?'. This was a meaningful question requiring serious thought.

She had kept things purposefully light during their mission. Answering this question would change everything. Although, it seemed as though everything was changing anyway.

And she wanted things to change.

She wanted more from him, and from herself.

She slowly nodded.

"Yes, please," she said softly.

Slowly he reached up behind his head and untied the hitae-ate, setting it carefully on the edge of the pool. His hair fell over his smooth brow softly. He put his hands on his glasses, holding them in place. He slid them down the bridge of his nose and turned to set them next to the hitae-ate. He stayed that way, turned away from her.

Tenten waited for him, her heart pounding in her chest.

He turned back and looked at her.

Tenten used the rim of the pool to pull herself towards him, gazing into his beautiful dark amber eyes. They were large, framed by impossibly long dark lashes that any girl would envy. Slim elegant black eyebrows lifted over them, quirked in a quizzical expression that was devastatingly sexy.

She leaned toward him, almost falling on him, until her hip brushed his thigh.

He grabbed her upper arms, holding her steady in the water and pulling her closer.

"I want to kiss you," he said, his voice husky and low.

"Yes, please," she whispered, letting him pull her onto his lap.

She kept her eyes focused on his until it was impossible to see, until his mouth settled on hers, until her arms went around his broad shoulders and his large clever hands wrapped around her waist and slid along her hip.

After that, it was impossible to focus on any one thing at all.

* * *

_**A/N: End of part two. Like Tenten, I saw some wonderful pictures of the hot-springs in the snowy mountains of Japan which served as some of the inspiration for this story. While those real hot-springs are public and well-used, wouldn't it be nice to find one all to yourself? And, even better, to find one to share with a gorgeous person who thought you were the best thing on earth and beyond? Yeah, me too. Guess I'm a hopeless romantic.**_

_**Please review: As always, reviews are what make sane people spend great quantities of time writing these insane pieces!**_

_**recey2010, tamiri, and nejiten, if you will turn your reply options on, I will be happy to respond to your reviews.**_

_**Thanks!**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: This is an entry to a Shino/Tenten Winter contest at Rel's request. **_

_**Be aware that this section also contains adult behavior, hence the rating. Shino and Tenten are 18 and 19 years of age, respectively, in this story. **_

_**I do not own Naruto.**_

**Snow Storm: Part Three**

It was a beautiful pool, much larger than it had originally seemed, with a small waterfall leading to a deeper, cooler basin, perfect for swimming. A small rushing channel streamed off from the deeper pool to a perfectly round basin of very hot water. The whole area was surrounded by tumbled rocks and snowy pines dipping their branches into the water. The snow that still fell around them transformed into cool rain, adding small rainbows that glittered by the pools' edges, spangling their hair and eyelashes.

And everywhere, nature and man had coaxed the stone and water into the perfect place for lovers. Handholds and ledges, scooped out seats and wide steps, invigorating cool showers and lapping heat. Every place they wandered into was perfectly made to partner them.

Things had been awkward at first, their mutual inexperience revealed slowly in softly halting confessions. They had been hesitant and clumsy, managing on instinct and imperfect knowledge. The sheltered pools echoed with sighs and whispers, giggles and husky moans, as they had taught each other the lessons of need and desire.

Now, they lay entangled, exhausted and dizzy, in the first pool they had entered, enjoying the chuckling sound of the water against the stones.

"Shino," whispered Tenten, "do you hear that?"

"Hmm," said Shino, running his hand lazily down the edge of her rib-cage to her waist and back again.

"It almost sounds like the water is laughing, doesn't it?"

"Hmm," he said. Her skin was like silk, soft and smooth.

"I love the idea that the water is laughing with us, don't you?"

"Hmm," he said, leaning down and pressing kisses on the groove of her collar bone and the hollow of her throat. He shifted her in his arms to give himself better access to her lovely silken skin.

"Ohh," she sighed, leaning back in his arms and gazing up at the edge of the pool.

"Oh!" she shrieked, pushing him off and jumping up, crossing her arms in front of her breasts.

"What!" shouted Shino, slipping on the stone and going under the water. He shot up in a spray, putting himself between Tenten and the edge of the pool, looking around wildly.

"What is it?" he hissed, not seeing any threat.

"Th-th-there," stuttered Tenten, pointing to the edge of the pathway, her hand shaking. "By the b-b-bench."

Shino couldn't see anyone. He shot Tenten a concerned glance. The stuttering was not like the usually confident kunoichi. She was hunkered down in the water, her eyes wide.

"Stay behind me," he ordered, curtly, moving carefully through the water to the edge of the pathway. He slowly climbed up the steps, crouching low. He picked up a large stone, cursing his lack of weapons. He should have been better prepared, should have left his weapons pouch close to the water's edge, shouldn't have been naked-.

Wait. No. Being naked with Tenten was a _good_ thing, and damn it if someone didn't deserve a real pounding for interrupting them.

He stepped up onto the path and moved cautiously towards the shelter where their clothes were piled. He could tell by the increased agitation of the kikai that something was there, although he couldn't see anyone.

A disappearance jutsu of some kind?

The place had seemed deserted. Could someone have been hiding all this time?

He could hear a scuffing sound and then a grunt coming from the back of the lean-to. He could make out a small dark shape moving by their clothes.

Holding the stone over his head, Shino crept forward.

The small form exploded towards him.

Shino caught a glimpse of long shiny white fangs and wild eyes before he was attacked .

* * *

Tenten watched Shino edge towards the lean-to, caught for a moment by the breath-taking sight of his lean muscled backside.

He even has dimples _there._

Damn, she was a lucky girl.

She probably shouldn't be ogling him right now.

After all, he wasn't displaying his admittedly amazing assets on purpose. He was busy finding out what had disturbed her enough to push away his hot mouth.

Oh, Kami, even thinking of that hot mouth while ogling his assets was speeding up her pulse.

Lucky, _lucky_, girl.

Stop that, right now! She was shinobi. She needed to start thinking like one.

She had seen something peering down at her when Shino was kissing her throat-.

And could that guy kiss! A girl really knew she was well and thoroughly kissed when Shino was done. Although, she hoped he wasn't done. Not by a long shot. She had hopes for quite a bit more kissing.

Tenten ran a finger along her lips, imagining his curvy mouth pressed against them, sucking in her bottom lip, running his tongue-.

Stop! Shino was up there now, maybe in danger, and here she was, thinking about kissing him. And him kissing her.

Okay, understandable, but still-.

A loud shout rang through the air, followed by shrill cries.

Tenten plowed through the water and up the stairs only to be met by Shino coming back down.

He put his arms around her and dove into the water, pulling her under with him.

* * *

Shino glared at Tenten, his amber eyes darkening dangerously.

"Stop laughing," he growled, "You only encourage them."

She grinned at him, splashing him playfully.

"I think they're cute," she said, "like you."

"Are you saying I'm cute?" he said, moving out of her range.

"That's what I'm sayin'," she said, following him purposefully. She splashed him with a wider sweep of water.

"Me? Cute?" he said, dodging the water easily.

"You," she said, adding a dash of Chakra to her next splash of water, "Cute! Adorable, just like those-."

He disappeared under the spray of water.

She looked around for him, ignoring the chattering sounds of their new and appreciative audience.

He rose up behind her pulling her tightly against him.

"Oh!" she said, faintly, all coherent thoughts jumbling in her mind as he leaned over her shoulder and kissed her under her ear.

A chorus of loud squeals applauded Shino's maneuver.

"Damned monkeys," he growled, turning his back on them.

* * *

"Shino, I'm starving," said Tenten, "we need to get out of this pool and eat."

"No," said Shino, glaring at the monkeys who were luxuriating in the recliner pool and picking fleas off one another, "I'm not giving those beasts another show."

Tenten lifted her hands and stared at her wrinkled fingerprints.

"I'm turning into a prune, I'm starving and I'm cranky," she growled. "Those monkeys have seen everything we've got and then some."

"They have our clothes," said Shino, "are you proposing that we climb up to the shrine naked?"

"Okay," huffed Tenten, "if you're not going to do anything about it, I will."

She waded over to the steps and started up, shooing monkeys out of her way. The monkeys followed her with their bright eyes, making complaining noises. A pair of females with their arms around each other shifted over to avoid her feet, baring their teeth but not making any other aggressive moves.

"Listen, you little pests," she said, in the sugary voice people used with unpredictable creatures like monkeys or toddlers, "let us just get our things and we'll give you something nice to eat."

She tiptoed carefully over the cold stone to the lean-to.

The monkeys had flung their clothes all over, and, yes, Shino was right. Several articles were missing. Actually, almost everything was gone, except for their boots and heavy coats. She checked the boots carefully to make sure an animal wasn't inside. She slid her cold, wet feet into her boots and let out a sigh of relief.

She shuffled over to her coat and picked it up carefully. No monkeys.

She pulled the parka on and picked up Shino's coat and boots.

Turning carefully, she walked gingerly over to the pool.

"If you move slowly, you should be okay," she said, holding the coat out to him, "they won't hurt you."

"I am not afraid of them," said Shino, darkly, stepping carefully up the steps. He held a protective hand over his groin. A half-dozen kikai buzzed loudly around his head.

"No, of c_ourse_ not," said Tenten in the same sugary voice she'd used to pacify the tiny primates.

Shino shot her a fiery glance.

She smiled at him blandly, letting him take his coat before snickering.

He slipped his feet into his boots and stamped them a little, letting out an indignant huff of air.

A couple of the monkeys turned and chittered something.

"Uh, oh," said Tenten, "better watch out." She stifled a laugh unsuccessfully, as he cupped his manly parts more securely.

Shino put his arms in his parka and zipped it up defiantly. He shuffled along the side of the pool to where he had left his hitae-ate and glasses. A baby monkey was playing with the cloth of the headband, dipping it into the water and sucking on it. The glasses lay at the monkey's feet, curled up in his tail. Shino studied the animal carefully.

Shino patted the inside pockets of his coat, searching for something. He pulled out a little packet.

Tenten watched him with her head to one side.

"You're not giving him our dinner, are you?" she hissed.

He held up a hand to silence her.

She rolled her eyes.

"I did mention that I was starving, right? Right? And cranky? And starving?"

Shino looked over his shoulder and frowned.

"I promise I will feed you," he said.

She brightened.

"Okay, then," she said, cheerily.

It helped that she had another really good view of his butt when he leaned over, holding the packet out to the monkey.

They both held their breaths as the monkey looked suspiciously at the packet, cringing away from his hand.

Shino shook the packet a little, holding it tantalizingly close to the animal's nose.

The monkey sat up, sniffing. With the speed of a taijutsu expert, the little creature snatched the packet out of Shino's hand and raced away across the stones.

Shino grabbed his hitae-ate and glasses and hurried back to Tenten.

She applauded him, grinning broadly.

"Very nicely done," she said, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tightly. She turned and started up the slippery stairs, sending Chakra to her feet to help her. "And I promise," she said, winking at him saucily over her shoulder, "that I won't tell anyone that you are afraid of monkeys."

He took off after her, growling a little. He toyed with the thought of catching up with her and making her pay in some very satisfactory way for teasing him. He let her get halfway up the steps before he came to a decision.

He could always make her pay later.

He was enjoying the view too much, as she climbed the steps above him.

* * *

Once inside the little room, they quickly dressed and built up the fire. It was getting dark and the room was cold. They shivered as they set about making a meal, working together without talking.

Tenten couldn't stop glancing over at him.

He'd put the glasses and hitae-ate back on and with them his air of reserve.

Did he regret what had happened in the pool?

She bit her lip, worrying it anxiously, as she opened up the sleeping bags and spread them out on the bench.

"Here," he said, curtly, holding out a cup of tea.

She took it and stared at him over the steaming rim.

He turned away and portioned out the ramen he'd prepared. He handed her a bowl and a pair of chop-sticks silently.

She sat down on the bench, the dishes beside her. Her hunger had fallen away, replaced with a cold feeling in her stomach.

He must be regretting what happened. Otherwise, he'd be looking at her, right?

Perhaps, away from the romance of the hot springs, he was seeing her as Neji had. Unworthy. The words that haunted her rattled in her head, 'indifferent breeding and low social standing'. Maybe he felt that way, too. He was, after all, heir to another of Konoha's powerful clan families.

She had to know, had to say something.

Her heart pounded painfully.

"Listen, I-," she said, her hands twisting.

"Could I-?" he said, putting down his uneaten bowl of ramen.

They stopped and looked at each other.

"Are you sorry-."

"Would you let me-?"

"That we had sex?"

"Comb your hair?"

They stared at each other, untangling the words and frowning.

"What?"

"No!"

"Yes, of course!"

"What?"

Shino stood up from the fire and walked over to the bench, looking down at her.

"Do you regret making love?" he said quietly.

"No, never," she said, her voice quavering at his words, "I thought maybe, uh, that you-."

"No, never," he said, his voice deep and husky.

She scooted over on the bench to give him room to sit down.

He stooped to pick up his soup and sat next to her.

She picked up her bowl and they ate companionably, leaning against each other.

"It's difficult for me to express-," he started.

"You want to comb my hair?" she asked, her voice light with happiness.

He chuckled softly.

"Yes, please," he said, putting his arm around her.

She snuggled into his shoulder, sighing deeply.

She was suddenly hungry for much more than ramen. She bent her head back against his shoulder and smiled up at him, meeting his lips with her eager mouth.

As far as she was concerned, he could comb her hair anytime he wanted.

* * *

It was much later than it should have been when they finally resumed their trip back to Konoha.

First, they had to wake up, which required a lot of kissing, which led to other things that took up quite a bit of time.

Shino found that he did indeed enjoy combing Tenten's hair, and wrapping it around his hands, and kissing her breathless.

Tenten found that she enjoyed it, too.

Then, they made a trip down to the pool to say good-bye to the monkeys and leave some food bars.

Shino hadn't actually wanted to make the trip, but succumbed to Tenten's powerful method of persuasion, which took up quite a bit of time, as well.

This led to Tenten's discovery that Shino was a little bit ticklish behind his knees, which led to a number of other discoveries that Shino was quite willing to pursue, even if it meant going back to confront a tribe of clothing thieves.

The monkeys weren't there, but Tenten's turtleneck shirt was. She picked it up triumphantly, shaking it in the air.

Shino pointed out that the monkeys had made off with quite a bit more than they returned, but Tenten waved his protests away, setting the broken pieces of dehydrated fruit and nuts out on the bench before turning reluctantly from the beautiful place.

They cleaned up the room, restocking the woodpile in the room for the next traveler and headed out into the shrine.

Tenten patted the monkey statue and put pieces of food bar in the bowls in front of the altar.

She bowed reverently to the statues and whispered another prayer of thanksgiving.

Looking up at the serene face of the Goddess, she had the feeling again, that the smile carved in the stone face was for her and Shino.

She smiled back, clapping her hands and bowing .

She turned and ran to Shino's side.

"Time to go home," she said, grinning widely.

They held hands the whole way back to Konoha.

* * *

_**A/N: End of part three and this romantic interlude. My last piece of inspiration was a story on the ice monkeys of Japan who bathe in the hot springs in the very limited reserve areas. They are, sadly, like so many creatures, a dying race, although there are efforts to protect them. It may be a case of too little, too late for these beautiful animals.**_

_**Anyway, I thought it would be a good twist if my pair of lovers were startled by voyeurs and since the Pervy Sage was not in the area, decided on monkeys. Because it would be funny. Right?**_

_**Thanks for reading.**_

_**Happy New Year!**_


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